Wharfedale Diamond 220 Speakers: strong on all fronts

Wharfedale's Diamond 121 speakers won praise for their sound quality. Build quality, though, was disappointing, especially for a manufacturer of Wharfedale's pedigree.

It's with pleasure, therefore, that we can announce that the 121's successor - the Diamond 220 - is built to a much higher standard. Finish and reliability are no longer a concern. And a pair of Diamond 220s cost less than the 121s, too.

Other improvements over the Diamond 121 include a revised drive unit and crossover. The mid-bass driver is still made from Kevlar, though. Consequently, the drive unit is durable and helps make the speaker a strong contender in its class. In fact, What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision magazine has just announced the Diamond 220 as its favourite stereo speaker up to £200.

The 220 retains the 121's unique porting approach and expels certain sound waves from the cabinet via the gap between the cabinet and the plinth. With no room available on the front baffle for a bass reflex port, this allows the speaker to be placed closer to a wall without generating unwanted boominess, as could happen if the speaker had a port on the back. What you will find on the cabinet's rear is a smart set of speaker sockets that can cater for a second set of cables for bi-wiring.

Blackwood is likely to be the most popular finish option but others are Walnut Pearl, Rosewood Quilted and White.